Corporate social responsibilities,consumer trust and corporate reputation: South Korean consumers' perspectives

This study proposes and tests a model of corporate social responsibility (CSR) that specifies relationships among (1) four categories of CSR initiatives as independent variables, (2) three types of consumer trust as mediating variables, and (3) corporate reputation as the dependent variable. Results show that the firm's fulfillment of economic and legal CSR initiatives had a direct positive effect on corporate reputation, whereas neither ethical nor philanthropic CSR initiatives did. In the CSR-trust link, economic performances fostered consumer expertise trust, legal and ethical CSR activities affected integrity trust, and philanthropic CSR activities influenced social benevolence trust in the firm. This study confirms that all three types of trust partially or fully mediate the effect of the four CSR initiatives on corporate reputation. This outcome indicates that CSR activities create and nurture consumers' trust in the company, which will, in turn, bring about consumers' positive or improved perceptions of the firm.     

THE IMPACT OF ORDER FULFILLMENT SERVICE ON RETAILER MERCHANDISING DECISIONS IN THE CONSUMER DURABLES INDUSTRY

Historically, manufacturers held the upper hand in consumer goods supply chain relationships. There has been a pervasive shift of power to retailers over the past 20 years, however, ushering in an era of waning consumer loyalty to manufacturers' brands and increasing loyalty to retailers. While there is extensive research focusing on the manufacturer‐consumer relationship, retailers' increased ability to influence consumer purchases suggests that manufacturers should understand not only consumer perceptions of delivery service, but also retailer perceptions. We incorporate social network theory to examine the manufacturer‐retailer‐consumer linkages in the consumer durables industry, with the emphasis on the retailer in the role of the “broker” (Burt 1992). Specifically, we examine whether retailer perceptions of a manufacturer's order fulfillment service (OFS) positively impacts retailer perceptions of the manufacturer's brand, the importance of the product, and the likelihood of the retailers' salespeople to recommend the product to consumers. The research bridges OFS and retailer purchase behavior in a consumer durables industry characterized by high levels of consumer involvement, brand presence, and personal selling.     

CSR attributions and the moderating effect of perceived CSR fit on consumer trust,identification, and loyalty

Although many companies have engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions to elicit positive customer responses, the motivation behind CSR actions plays an important role in how effective they are, often leading to unexpected outcomes. While previous literature has placed a strong emphasis on value- and strategy-driven CSR actions, the changing consumer perceptions of and responses to these CSR actions remain less understood. Therefore, the current study investigates 1) how a company's CSR attribution affects consumer trust, identification, and loyalty and 2) how the perceived CSR fit moderates these relationships. The results indicate that value-driven, strategic, and stakeholder-driven attributions have positive effects on consumer trust, influencing consumer-company identification and loyalty positively. Further, we find that perceived CSR fit significantly moderates the relationship between strategic attribution and trust and between trust and loyalty. This study provides meaningful implications for both academia and industry, as it illustrates the changes in consumer views following the global pandemic relative to consumer views revealed in earlier studies.     

Organic food corporate image and customer co-developing behavior: The mediating role of consumer trust and purchase intention

The impact of organic food corporate image on customers' surpassing purchasing behavior is absent in prior literature. Based on the S–O-R framework, the current study focuses on organic food member customers to explore the influence of corporate ability (CA) image and corporate social responsibility (CSR) image of organic food company on the consumption behavior and co-developing behavior of customers. The consumer samples came from 269 member customers of an organic food enterprise in southwest China. The results show that organic food company CA and CSR image positively affect consumer trust and co-developing behavior. CSR image enhances consumer trust and co-developing behavior than CA image does. Additionally, consumer trust and purchase intention play a multi-step mediating role in the relationship between corporate image (CA and CSR) and consumers' co-developing behavior. In conclusion, our findings provide new insights for understanding the relationship between the corporate image of organic food and the co-developing behavior of customers. The research results provide support for organic food companies that can effectively promote consumer trust, continuous purchase, and active engagement in the co-development of products and services by creating an image of ability and social responsibility.     

A cross cultural investigation of retailers commitment to CSR and customer citizenship behaviour: The role of ethical standard and value relevance

Factors promoting customer citizenship behaviour are of great interest to both practitioners and academics because customer citizenship behaviour is a notable driver of business success. This study examines the role of value relevance and ethical standards in shaping consumers perceptions about retailers commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its effects on customer citizenship behaviour under different cultural contexts. It also examines the critical role of personality in shaping citizenship behaviours. Data from the UK and Egyptian consumers were collected and analysed. Data were collected from 1757 consumers and analysed using structural equation modelling (PLS/SEM). The findings indicated that value relevance and ethical standards are key drivers of retailer commitment to CSR, which in turns lead to customer citizenship behaviour. Moreover, the multiple-group analysis revealed that the degree of effect of these variables on customer citizenship behaviour differs between customers in Egypt and the UK. Specifically, the effect of value relevance and ethical standards on retailer commitment to CSR is stronger for the Egyptian customers than for the UK customers, while, CSR has stronger effects on customer citizenship behaviour for the British consumers than for the Egyptian customers. The managerial and theoretical implications were identified.     

The impact of retailers’ sustainable development on consumer advocacy: A chain mediation model investigation

This study explores the impact of retailers' sustainable development (RSD) on consumer advocacy. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of institutional theory, this study presents and confirms a model that investigates the mediating role of retailers' legitimacy and consumer trust, and the moderating role of consumer ecological literacy between RSD and consumer advocacy. Using the sample of 942 consumers and PLS-based structural equation modeling technique, the results revealed that RSD positively correlates with consumer advocacy. Additionally, retailers' legitimacy and consumer trust mediate this correlation by a respective mediating role and a chain-mediating role. Besides, consumer eco-literacy negatively moderates the direct impact of RSD on consumer advocacy and consumer trust, and the indirect impact of RSD on consumer advocacy through consumer trust. However, the direct impact of RSD on retailers' legitimacy, the mediating effect of RSD on consumer advocacy through retailers' legitimacy, and the chain-mediating effect of RSD on consumer advocacy through retailers’ legitimacy and consumer trust are not moderated by consumer eco-literacy. This study has implications for retailers seeking practical ways to increase consumer advocacy.     

Perceived corporate social responsibility effects across nations – The role of national institutions

While many multinationals reduce their ecological footprint and signal corporate social responsibility (CSR), consumers’ perceptions of CSR signals have distinct cross-national effects on behavior. However, knowledge of how national institutions influence these effects remains limited. The authors address this gap by analyzing the roles of institutions in perceived CSR effects on consumer purchase intention, via trust and quality, in 43 countries using multilevel modeling. They find a core pathway of CSR among the direct and indirect effects. Importantly, they show for the first time how economic, regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive institutions affect these pathways differently. Key levers are revealed, together with less important institutions. These findings have direct implications for managers and stakeholders interested in cross-national differences in CSR effects.     

Investments in consumer relationships: a critical reassessment and model extension

This study is a critical reassessment and extension of De Wulf et al.'s (2001) framework investigating retail investments in consumer relationships. Their initial model relates four types of relationship marketing efforts to perceived relationship investment, in turn influencing relationship quality and ultimately behavioural loyalty. Based upon signalling theory, we extend this model by introducing product and service efforts as additional antecedents. Moreover, in contrast to the use of self-reported measures in the initial model, we apply customer database information in order to measure the construct of behavioural loyalty. Based upon 187 consumers reporting on their relationship with a Belgian apparel retailer, the SEM results provide guidelines for retailers how to increase the quality of their relationships with consumers by strengthening consumers' perceptions of relationship investment.     

A study of the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility and price image on retailer personality and consumers' reactions (satisfaction,trust and loyalty to the retailer)

This study investigates the impact of a retailer's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy and its price image on retailer personality, along with the impact of these two variables on the consequences of retailer personality: consumers' satisfaction, trust and loyalty toward the retailer (measured by their attitude and future behavioral intentions). Data were collected on a convenience sample of 352 consumers of a French grocery retailer. Using Partial Least Squares analysis (PLS), we show that perceived Corporate Social Responsibility and price image have a significant positive/negative influence on retailer personality traits (“agreeableness” and “conscientiousness”/“disingenuousness”) and that Corporate Social Responsibility has also a significant positive influence on the “sophistication” personality trait. For the consequences examined (satisfaction, trust and loyalty to the retailer), we show that Corporate Social Responsibility, price image and retailer personality have a direct or indirect impact on these dependent variables.     

Consumer cynicism and perceived deception in vanity sizing: The moderating role of retailer (dis)honesty

While prior scholarship has acknowledged the overall positive influence of vanity sizing on consumer outcomes, no work to date has addressed the psychological process that occurs when consumers suspect retailers of dishonest sizing information. This is an important process to understand because perceptions of deceptive retailer motives lead consumers to react negatively to the product and the retailer, regardless of the retailer's actual motives. Thus, this research utilizes attribution theory to examine perceived deception as a mediator between consumer cynicism (a dispositional trait) and consumer outcomes. The results reveal that at higher levels of consumer cynicism, prior knowledge of deceptive sizing practices has an amplifying effect on the influence of consumer cynicism on perceived deception, while retailer honesty with sizing issues helps to block this influence. Further, perceived deception leads to reduced consumer outcomes, confirming prior findings in the literature.     

共享经济下消费者信任的形成机理及影响机制

在对336份调研问卷实证分析基础上,从在线信任理论、制度信任理论及社会渗透理论出发,对我国共享经济下消费者信任的前因和后果及其作用机制进行研究,认为制度机制有效性感知是能代表审核与认证机制有效性感知、隐私保证机制有效性感知和安全保障机制有效性感知的形成性二阶变量,对消费者信任有显著正向影响;与供方互动有效性感知对消费者信任的正向影响不显著,与其他消费者互动有效性感知对消费者信任的正向影响显著;消费者信任对持续共享意愿有显著正向影响,并对感知风险有显著负向影响;制度机制有效性和社会互动有效性对消费者信任的影响存在显著的性别差异,即性别对这两条路径具有调节效应。因此,共享经济平台企业应建立健全管理制度,构建安全、信赖、可靠的在线交易环境,提高消费者的信任和信心,以实现共享平台的可持续发展;共享平台应优化平台网站界面,充分利用社交媒体和社交网络,构建线上和线下平台共享社区,释放共享平台在基层民主治理创新方面的活力;政府主管部门应牢牢把握消费者安全至上的发展理念,加强与平台企业之间的数据共享,建立和完善共享平台与政府部门联动的应急处置机制和风险防范化解机制,形成多元主体协同治理新格局;基于消费数据,共享平台应对市场进行有效细分,制定有针对性的差异化运营策略和营销策略,最大化满足消费者个性需求。     

A comparison of alternative theoretical explanations of consumer food safety assessments

The technical approach assumes that risk assessments made by technical experts are relatively objective and value‐free evaluations of the probability of negative consequences arising from use of a technology. Risk communication strategies associated with the technical approach focus upon educating an uninformed public about ‘actual’ risk. When consumer perceptions do not agree with technical assessments, consumers are deemed to be uniformed, irrational and sometimes dangerous to public health programmes. The social process approach assumes that technical assessments and applications of technology are influenced by political, social and economic interests. Consumer perceptions arise from social interaction with family and friends and depend strongly upon trust in societal institutions. Risk communication strategy emphasizes the importance of two‐way communication that encourages well reasoned public discourse and trust in societal institutions. Findings from examining the cognitive, emotional, and social determinants of perceptions of food irradiation for 164 adults residing in the Mid‐western USA indicate that the technical and social process approaches are complementary, but most of the variance in acceptance and perceived risk was explained by variables associated with the social process approach.     

Leveraging social media-based determinants to build customer-based brand equity of a retailer

ABSTRACT

Social media is all about consumer networks and consumer relations that challenge marketers to leverage social media as a means to develop and improve their connections with consumers. Though tremendous opportunities via social media are alluring, businesses are still finding it hard to penetrate the clique of consumer interactions that are largely personal in nature. Despite the opportunities available through social media marketing activities, understanding customers and their behavior, and incorporating that information in marketing strategy formulation is critical to successful strategy implementation. This study takes a significant leap forward in this direction. Theoretically grounded in diverse fields, this study demonstrates how retailers can build customer-based brand equity using social media-based brand determinants. Using seemingly unrelated regression technique, this study examines how retailer brands can leverage consumer characteristics on social media to successfully integrate and capitalize on social media marketing activities. This research study has important implications for both marketing theory and practice.     

Do CSR actions in retailing really matter for young consumers? A study in France and Norway

This research explores how young consumers perceive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) actions of French and Norwegian food retailers, and how these actions affect brand image, brand associations (adjectives, verbs, and names) and consumer–retailer relationships. It uses a qualitative methodology with in-depth interviews. This exploratory study shows that French and Norwegian young consumers have problems linking CSR with food retailing, and they question retailers' true commitment to CSR. Young French consumers had stronger brand associations than young Norwegians. Therefore, we argue that, CSR commitment among retailers in both countries is likely to positively affect retailer brand image. Nevertheless, CSR related products could also be associated with higher prices and may exclude low-income consumers.     

Influence of retailers’ commitment to sustainable development on store image,consumer loyalty and consumer boycotts: Proposal for a model using the theory of planned behavior

This research has a twofold objective: first, to propose a tool for evaluating retailers’ commitment to sustainable development as perceived by consumers (RCSD); second, to test a conceptual framework adapted from the Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) model and to study the impact of RCSD on the retailer’s image, consumer loyalty and boycotts. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The study confirms the link between RCSD and the consumers’ positive image toward the retailer and suggests that sustainable development practices can help retailers build a good image among consumers. But there is no link between RCSD and consumer loyalty, showing that sustainable development is not a purchase criterion for consumers.     

Company reputation and its influence on consumer trust in response to ongoing CSR communication

There is considerable disagreement in academic scholarship and beyond as to whether, in cases of bad reputations, companies will want to communicate corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities because this kind of communication is likely to increase consumers’ skepticism. In this regard, the two empirical studies discussed in this article examine the influence of prior company reputation on consumers’ trust in response to CSR communication in general and the development in response to continuous CSR activities and their ongoing communication by companies as well as by the media in particular. The two studies show that consumers’ trust in companies’ CSR activities increases after a second presentation of information by companies even in instances when companies had prior negative reputations. The second study in particular fills a gap in the literature on underlying mechanisms of consumers’ reactions to CSR communication. The results suggest that companies with prior negative reputations do not need to remain silent about their CSR activities; instead, CSR communication can help improve consumers’ trust in companies. However, the findings of these two studies also suggest that this positive development is short-lived. Consumers’ developing trust in companies’ CSR activities decreases significantly if they are exposed to negative information on these companies.     

The influence of eco-label knowledge and trust on pro-environmental consumer behaviour in an emerging market

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the negative environmental implications of purchasing goods, which in turn shape their behaviour. Yet, there are indications that consumers do not always act on these concerns, causing an attitude–behaviour gap. For consumers to make ecologically responsible purchases, they need relevant product environmental information. Therefore, marketers and firms are increasingly integrating more detailed environmental information in their offerings, including eco-labels with externally validated information. This study integrates consumers’ knowledge and trust in eco-labels with their environmental knowledge to determine how these affect pro-environmental consumer behaviour (PECB). The findings suggest environmental and eco-label knowledge is positively associated with attitudes towards the environment, and that positive environmental attitudes and trust in eco-labels affect PECB. This implies that firms, policy-makers and accreditation organisations (i.e. labelling) can educate consumers about eco-labels and the environment to increase PECB. Such strategies will also build consumer knowledge and trust in eco-labels, necessary for facilitating PECB.     

The impact of corporate social responsibility on consumer trust: the case of organic food

A critical and notoriously elusive issue in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) research is the impact of Corporate Social Performance (CSP) on the bottom line. Instead of looking for direct correlations between social and financial performance, we hypothesize that the first result of CSR activities is the creation of trust among the stakeholders. A survey conducted on consumers of organic products provided support for our hypothesis, showing that CSP influences consumer trust and that that trust in turn influences consumers' subsequent actions. The findings further suggest that intermediate variables between CSP and Corporate Financial Performance (CFP) may best support a business case for CSR.     

Consumer–retailer love and attachment: Antecedents and personality moderators

Because loyalty to services remains elusive and unpredictable, there is a need to study consumer relationships with firms apart from the established satisfaction–loyalty chain approach. To that end, the present paper investigates feelings of attachment and love through two empirical consumer studies of two different grocery retailer brands. The findings of the current study imply that retail store image, perceived transactional value, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations positively influence consumer–retailer love levels. Furthermore, we find that for consumers scoring low on the value of warm relationships with others and for consumers characterized by an avoidant attachment style, the effect of consumer–retailer love on re-patronage intentions is less salient. Interestingly, in the case of highly avoidant individuals, the effect of consumer–retailer love is negative. Managerial implications for building consumer-firm love in the context of grocery retail, as well as future research perspectives, are provided at the end of the paper.     

How motivations for CSR and consumer-brand social distance influence consumers to adopt pro-social behavior

This study proposes that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices may influence consumers’ pro-social behavior. We propose that this influence depends on the firm's motivation for CSR, and is moderated by the consumer-brand social distance. Two experiments demonstrate that consumers close to a brand become less pro-social when the firm's motivation is perceived as self-serving (vs. public-serving), whereas consumers distant from the brand are equally influenced by the CSR action regardless of the motivation behind it. A mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that this effect occurs because of consumer skepticism about the CSR action. When the firm's motivation is self-serving (vs. public-serving), consumers close to the brand become more skeptical, which decreases their intention to support a social cause. Our results contribute theoretically by showing that the positive and negative effects of CSR practices on consumers’ pro-social behavior are moderated by consumer-brand social distance. We also show the mediating role played by consumer skepticism. Moreover, we demonstrate that CSR influences consumer behavior beyond the consumer-brand dyadic relationship.